Atherectomy and thrombectomy are procedures for removing plaques and thrombus from the vasculature. Plaques are more robust and anchored to the vessel walls relative to thrombus, which has a softer consistency and is more easily removed from the vessel.
In some examples, atherectomy catheters remove plaques from vessel walls through mechanical engagement and abrasion of plaques. The mechanical removal of plaques generates loose particulate matter within the vessel wall that increases the risk of emboli within the blood stream.
Similarly, in some examples, thrombectomy procedures remove thrombus from vessel walls through mechanical systems that mechanically engage and remove thrombus, for instance by cutting of the thrombus with one or more features at the end of a catheter. In still other examples, catheters include hydrodynamic features that generate streams of solution, such as saline, that engage with thrombus and hydrodynamically remove thrombus from the vessel walls. In yet other examples, solutions such as lytic medicants are delivered to thrombus within the vasculature, and the medicants breakdown the thrombus.